The future of ECM - Part I

There are a number of writings regarding where ECM is going.  Many companies are working on new features etc.  Let's explore the economics of ECM first and see where pricing will probably be heading in the future:

What I can see happening over the next 2-3 years is the Commoditization of the ECM platform.  Tools such as Vital-Path will enable companies to move information into and out of or between ECM repositories and even Open Text’s efforts with SAP blur the lines of where the ECM repository starts and ends. 

What becomes the glue between the information is the meta data about the documents.  I've called this relationship RALPH (Records and Logical Path Hierarchy).  RALPH includes not only the departmental level file plan, but the records classification, document meta data and security information.  

The only “link” between the various points of information will be RALPH, such a relationship will enable an organization to move information into and out of any system, and throughout any part of their organization.  

Research shows that  almost 50% of company's ECM deployments are hampered by a lack of a file plan.  Nothing new here, so any organizations efforts should be in developing the relationships and hierarchy that bind their information together.    

So back to my original point.  If the primary need of an organization is to link the types of information together and companies develop these types of specialties, then the ECM system can be any one of the major vendors on the market today.  When the loss of specialty occurs, then Commoditization will be the next step.